Rui Peak Pagoda

Rui Peak Pagoda

Rui Peak Pagoda is a cultural heritage site protected at the district level in Fenghua.

Rui Peak Pagoda, located on the northern peak of Nanshan Mountain in Longtan Village, Yuelin Subdistrict, Fenghua City, is also known as Nanshan Pagoda. In February 1987, it was designated as a third-batch municipal-level cultural heritage site by the People’s Government of Fenghua City.

Rui Peak Pagoda was first built in the fifth year of the Xiantong era during the Tang Dynasty (864 AD). The current structure was reconstructed in the twelfth year of the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1807 AD) through funds raised by Magistrate Peng (name unknown). This is a multi-tiered stone pagoda, hexagonal with seven levels, designed in a pavilion style. Including the eaves, upturned corners, and finial, the entire pagoda is carved and assembled from stone blocks using mortise-and-tenon joinery. The base has three tiers; the lowest tier is 2.47 meters high with each side measuring 2.60 meters wide. The height and width decrease gradually with each ascending level. The pagoda stands 13.45 meters tall with a base diameter of 5.20 meters. Each face of every level features carved arched doorways (壶门), with slight variations in the arch patterns across levels. The projecting eaves are all carved from large stones. The finial is damaged, leaving only the finial base with an inverted bowl remaining, now tilted. The pagoda stands atop the peak of Nanshan Mountain, reaching toward the sky and forming a scenic landmark of Fenghua City.

Below and to the east of the pagoda is a stone-built stele pavilion, spanning three bays in width (3.31 meters) and two bays in depth (2.25 meters), covering an area of approximately 7 square meters with a height of 2.80 meters and a flush-gable roof. The rooftop is covered with large stone slabs arranged in overlapping rows. The ridge is adorned with carved chiwei (mythical beast ornaments). On the front beam of the central bay, there is a horizontal inscribed board carved with the words “Rui Peak Pagoda Stele Pavilion.” The eave pillars feature a couplet: “A literary brush reaches the heavens; timeless stone tablets shine upon Nanshan.” Currently, only the stele base remains in the pavilion, as the stone stele itself is missing. In 2001, the city’s cultural heritage protection office carried out restoration work on both the pagoda and the pavilion.